Method and apparatus for making articles

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for applying unique composite indicia or markings to a succession of articles, in which each unique composite indicium comprises two or more indicia. At least part of each of the indicia may be co-located at a predetermined location on the article with such co-location being unique or distinct for each composite indicium for each article. The indicium may be overprinted with one or more images, logos or color-schemes. A code (e.g. an alphanumeric string) that is stored in a database may be derived from the composite indicium from one or more mathematical properties. The code may be later accessed for identifying or verifying the article with the indicium.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional United Kingdom PatentApplication No. 0129369.5 for “Method and Apparatus for MarkingArticles”, filed Dec. 7, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to codes such as graphic marks, orindicia, for identifying, verifying the authenticity of, tracking, ormanaging information relating to manufactured goods and/or theirpackaging, cartons, boxes, shipping cases, documents, banknotes, labels,tapes, overwrap film, stamps, tax stamps, fiscal marks, tickets, courierenvelopes, vouchers, films and indeed any single article, product, oritem.

2. Description of Related Arts

A known system for verifying the legitimacy of an article such as apassport or a credit card is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,939. Inthis prior art system a unique pattern is incorporated into the article.This pattern is made of fibers, which are laid down in a two- orthree-dimensional base material, thus creating a unique pattern thatcannot be reproduced. This pattern is then divided into appropriatelysized pieces and applied to the surface of the article, or incorporatedwithin it in such a way that the pattern can be seen from both sides ofthe article. A portion of the pattern is then optically scanned from atleast one direction and information is derived from the scanned patternwhich is converted into digital data, compressed and encrypted ifrequired, and stored, together with any relevant information relating tothe article. To identify or verify the authenticity of the article thepattern is scanned again and the information is converted and comparedwith the prerecorded data.

However, there are various problems associated with this system.Firstly, applying the pattern during the manufacture of mass-producedarticles would be slow and time consuming, since the pattern would firsthave to be cut to the required size and then securely-applied to thearticle in the desired position. This would require additional machineryand could not be done at the speeds that are currently necessary in mostlarge-scale manufacturing processes. Secondly, it is possible that thesubsequent scanning of the pattern would result in slightly differentmeasurements than those which have been recorded. This could be due toparallax errors if the measurement was taken at a slightly differentangle from that which the initial measurement was taken, and this wouldbe more problematic the deeper the pattern. Different measurements wouldalso be obtained if a light source of different wavelength were used,since the pattern would diffract the light differently. The patterncould also degrade and change during the use of the article, thuschanging the pattern. Thirdly, the size of the pattern is limited by themanufacturing process, and the fibers used. Thus, it may be difficult tocreate patterns of very small size, which may be important in the caseof some goods.

A similar system to that discussed above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,621,219. A pattern is formed from embedding fibers in a transparentmaterial, and this is then fixed to an object that needs to beidentified. Embodiments of this invention identify the pattern byprojecting the silhouette of the image of the pattern using at least onelight source. Using more than one light source increases the amount ofinformation that can be obtained from the pattern when it is viewed;diffraction and parallax effects are utilized in this invention toincrease the information that can be obtained. However, this requiresidentical sets of sophisticated equipment to be used whenever it isrequired that the pattern be identified; using equipment that isdesigned to measure the pattern differently would give differentresults. Furthermore, a large amount of data is recorded from eachpattern, thus a large amount of data storage space per pattern isneeded. The problems in manufacture outlined above also apply inrelation to this system.

There are many other two-dimensional coding symbologies, examplesincluding “datamatrix” and “PDF 417”. These are used for identificationof products, and a variety of automated reading techniques are employedaccordingly.

However, there remains a need for a coding method which may be performedat high speed, which guarantees the application of unique marks orindicia, and which produces marks which have a high tolerance to damageor corruption, i.e. such as can be restored reliably by the reader evenwhen a substantial portion of the mark is missing or is corrupted.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is defined in the attached independent claims. Further,preferred features of the invention may be found in the sub-claimsthereto.

According to an aspect of the invention, a method and apparatus areprovided for creation and application of a unique marking or indicium toeach one of a series of distinct articles, each unique indiciumcomprising a combination of at least two separate indicia. The two aremaintained out of register from article to article to which they areapplied. In other words, the first indicium and the second indicium donot overlie one another in an identical pattern or manner for any twoarticles. Rather, they are offset with respect to each other fromarticle to article, thereby creating a unique composite indicium fordistinct articles. Each unique composite indicium associated with eachdistinct item or article may then be cataloged or recorded in somemanner (e.g. by conversion to an alphanumeric form) along with data,information, or the like describing the article, thereby providing ahighly secure but accessible record for each article and an inventoryfor the totality of articles. Because each composite indicium is totallyunique and, by itself, need not include any self contained or recordedinformation, the level of security of the marking is essentiallyabsolute.

In an embodiment of the invention, each unique composite indiciumcomprises a first indicium which is fixed onto a substrate or onto adistinct article and a second indicium which overlies the first indiciumto define a composite pattern that is different for each distinctarticle. The first and second indicia may be comprised of geometricshapes depicted in two dimensions such as lines, dots, polygons,circles, ellipses, etc., or combinations thereof In one embodiment, afirst indicium is an open pattern or collection of shapes in twodimensions and the second indicium is a closed boundary encompassing acollection of shapes in two dimensions. In order to create eachdistinct, separate and unique composite indicium, the second indicium ismade to overlie the first indicium in a distinct and separate locationreferred herein, inter alia, as a predetermined location. Thepredetermined location for each composite indicium is thus a distinctand separate location of the second indicium upon the first indicium. Inthis way, no two composite indicia are made to be identical.

The embodiments of the invention are especially useful when practicedusing two-dimensional indicia. The indicium may comprise not onlyshapes, lines, and collections of shapes and lines in two dimensions butalso variable spectral or color elements in two dimensions. A benefitassociated with two-dimensional versions of the invention includes thehighly cost-effective or inexpensive creation of such markings.

In another embodiment, a first indicium may be a pattern of forms orshapes and a second indicium may be a pattern of forms or shapes made tooverlie the first pattern and a third indicium may be a coordinatemarker which overlies a portion or section of the composite pattern tothereby define a common starting base or predetermined location forreading or identifying the composite indicium.

In another embodiment, more than two patterned indicia may overlie oneanother to provide a composite pattern in combination with a marking tospecify a unique predetermined location.

The method of creating each unique composite indicium may compriseprinting a first indicium on an article or substrate followed byoverprinting a second indicium wherein the first and second indicia areuniquely co-located at a predetermined location to thereby create ordefine a series of separate and unique, composite indicia.

The method may alternatively include printing or imparting a first,two-dimensional indicium on an article having a two dimensional,patterned substrate (for example, the grain boundary pattern of an alloyor the fiber pattern of a fabric or paper material). Thus, the secondindicium may comprise a characteristic or pattern of the underlyingsubstrate rather than a fixed non-variable indicium. The separateindicium may also be variable. In any event, the composite indiciumfurther includes the identification of a predetermined location such asa boundary marker.

As another example, the first indicium may be derived from an open, butfixed repeating pattern, and the second indicium may be a set or seriesof closed patterns, A closed pattern is defined as a fixed patternhaving a boundary or fixed reference guide (for example, a pattern witha line defining an edge of the pattern, preferably a circumference ofthe pattern or at least two intersecting lines of a boundary of thepattern). The reference guide may be provided by a further printingstep, which involves, for example, printing a base line on the compositeindicium or by covering part of the composite of the first and secondindicia.

The variance (repeatability) of the first and second indicia may beperiodic. Where there are two indicia, the variance (repeatability) ofeach of which is periodic, the periods of repeatability of the twoindicia in combination to form composite indicia may be unequal, i.e.where one is not an integral multiple of the other. Where one of theindicia has a periodic variance (pattern), and one of the indicia isfixed, and its application to successive articles is periodic, theperiod of variance of the variable indicium and the period ofapplication of the fixed indicium may be unequal, and the former may notbe an integral multiple of the latter. The variance (pattern) of eachcomposite indicium may thus be controlled using mathematical principlesto be infinite.

At least one of the indicium may be applied to the articles usingprinting means. The printing means may print one or more lines, dots,ellipses and/or polygons as one or more elements of each indicium.

The method may include at least one further printing step, wherein saidfurther printing step includes overprinting the article with one or moreimages, logos or color-schemes, and leaving said predetermined locationunprinted. Printing of the fixed indicium may be included in the furtherprinting step. The composite indicium may have a border as means forestablishing the orientation of the composite indicium. Alternatively,the orientation may be established by a reference guide, which may beprovided by a further printing step, in which a line is printed on theindicium or in which part of the indicium is over-printed.

The invention also provides apparatus for applying unique identificationmarks to a succession of articles, the apparatus comprising:

-   -   first printing means arranged to print a variable indicium on an        article at a predetermined location, and    -   second printing means arranged to print another or second        indicium on the article at the same location to form a composite        indicium at the predetermined location, wherein the first        printing means comprises a print pattern, and wherein the print        pattern includes one or more features, the position, direction        or orientation of which varies across the print surface, such        that when printed, the position, direction or orientation of        elements of the indicium in relation to the predetermined        location on the article varies for successive articles, and thus        a composite indicium is printed which is different for each        article.

Typically, the elements in each indicium comprise lines, dots,rectangles or other polygons and/or ellipses. The first printing meansmay comprise a first print roller or cylinder. The second printing meansmay be arranged to print a second indicium which comprises a fixedpattern which may be of lines, dots, ellipses and/or polygons, and whichmay include a frame, border or perimeter line which may serve to markthe limit of the printed composite indicium. The limit of the compositeindicium may also be defined in a further printing step such as anover-printing step. The second printing means may comprise a secondprint roller or cylinder, which may be arranged in use to printsuccessive identical second indicia on successive articles.

The first and second print rollers/cylinders may be arranged to printout of phase. The first and second printing rollers/cylinders may be ofdifferent diameters or circumferences and/or may revolve at differentspeeds. The speed of revolution of one or both of the rollers/cylindersmay be arranged to vary. All of these described techniques are designedto create unique composite indicia in an inexpensive, easily appliedmanner for each article.

The method may further comprise the steps of storing information derivedfrom the composite indicium by scanning the composite indicium,calculating one or more mathematical properties related to one or moreelements of the composite indicium, assigning a code (e.g. analphanumeric character string) to the properties that uniquelyidentifies the composite indicium and thus the associated article, andrecording this code in a database, together with any other required ordesired information regarding the article to which the compositeindicium is applied.

The scanning of the composite indicium and derivation of the propertiesrelating to one or more elements of the composite indicium may also beaccomplished using known fingerprint recognition techniques, forexample.

The method may include means for recording and subsequently recallinginformation associated with each unique composite indicium bycalculating a mathematical property of the indicium, using an algorithmto establish a unique code and correlating the code with a database. Atleast one mathematical property of the indicium that is calculated maybe a function of the spatial relationship of at least some of theelements of the composite indicium to each other and/or to a borderaround or other boundary condition of the composite indicium.

The composite indicium may be printed onto packaging or onto the articleitself. The indicium may be incorporated into a barcode which identifiesa product. The indicium may be printed directly onto the packaging orthe article during its manufacture, or it may be printed onto a part ofthe packaging (for example a tear tape or a label) in which the articleis subsequently packaged. The indicium may be applied to any surfacesuch as glass, film, paper, plastic, metal, wood, or any surface whichmay be printed. The composite indicia can be printed using anytechnique, such as, for example, gravure, flexo, letterpress, laser,inkjet, dot pen, thermo transfer or offset dependent upon the equipmentavailable and/or the nature of the surface which is being printed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a compositeindicium is provided for representing or encoding information about anarticle to which the composite indicium is applied, wherein thecomposite indicium comprises two indicia, and is one of a series of suchcomposite indicium, wherein at least one of the indicia in eachcomposite indicium varies for successive composite indicia in theseries.

The invention also includes a series of composite indicia, forrepresenting or encoding information about articles to which the indiciaare applied, wherein the composite indicia each comprise two indicia,one of which varies for successive composite indicia in the series.

One of the indicia may vary for successive composite indicia in theseries and the other may remain fixed. Alternatively, both of theindicia may vary for successive composite indicia in the series.

Each unique composite indicium may represent or encode the informationby comprising machine-readable elements, the spatial relationship of atleast some of which to each other and/or to a border around the indiciumis convertible into a unique character string, such as a numericalvalue, attributable to the composite indicium. The character string maybe stored in a computer database, with any required information for anarticle to which the composite indicium is applied.

Once the information is stored in the database, it may be retrieved bymachine-reading the composite indicium to determine the uniqueidentification information numerical value associated with the indiciumand obtaining the information corresponding to said identificationinformation or character string from the database.

The invention therefore relates to distinct, unique indicia; the use ofsuch indicia; the method for creating such indicia; apparatus forcreating such indicia; and methods for conducting activities andbusiness incorporating or using such indicia.

In review, each marking is comprised or created, in a two-dimensionalexample, by combining (co-locating and overlying) at least a firstpattern and a second pattern, wherein each combination is out ofregister (juxtaposed) with respect to every other combination. Theinvention may also be expressed by such combinations of startingindicium having three dimensions and/or which are time dependent. Againthe combinations are unique because they are out of register withrespect to one another. With respect to composites derived from fixedpatterns in two dimensions, the first pattern may be unbounded as may bethe second pattern. The combination may then further incorporate awindow or boundary to impose the condition that the composites derivedare not in register. Alternatively, each composite may be separatelyderived by juxtaposing the overlying starting indicium when expressingeach separate composite. A preferred methodology is to adopt the formermethod of expression (use of boundary condition or window) and to createunique indicia by combining the former methodology with the latter, i.e.combining at least two starting indicia and expressing a pattern thereofwith a boundary condition and doing so for a series of juxtaposedstarting indicia.

Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a technique to createunique markings for individual or discrete articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a highly cost effectivemethod for creating such unique markings.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for creating suchunique markings utilizing methods and combinations of methods that areeasily undertaken and performed, and economical.

Another object of the invention is to provide a technique for creationof discrete and unique markings for individual items wherein themarkings alone need not incorporate information, but may be nonethelessanalyzed or cataloged utilizing various analytical tools includingalgorithmic conversion techniques to express the marking in machinereadable terms.

Another object of the invention is to create a protocol for creation anduse of unique markings for individual articles wherein each markingassociated with each article (either successively or in some otherorder) may be cataloged or inventoried along with further data orinformation associated with the article.

A further object of the invention is to create a series of markings thatare each unique and which are the result of combining at least a firstindicium with a second indicium to form a composite indicium and whereinthe combination is in each instance a unique result.

Another object of the invention is to devise a series of uniquecomposite indicia utilizing at least two indicium that are provided aspatterns in two dimensions.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbe set forth in the description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows schematically a multi-stage printing apparatus in which atstages A, B and C different indicia are combined to form a plurality ofunique composite indicia on a sheet of labels in accordance with a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows in more detail stage A of the multi-stage apparatus of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a two-dimensional pattern that may be used with theprinting apparatus of stage A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows in more detail stage B of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary composite indicium that may be printed bystage A and stage B as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 6 shows in more detail stage C of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows alternative embodiments of indicia in schematic stages A toC according to FIG. 1;

FIGS. 8 to 11 show a selection of articles to which unique compositeindicia have been applied in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 12 to 15 show schematically a multi-stage printing apparatus inwhich at stages A, B and C different indicia are combined to form aplurality of unique composite indicia on a sheet of labels, inaccordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 shows an exemplary database entry relating a code derived from acomposite indicium and information about an associated article, inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 shows examples of how a composite indicium might be combinedwith a conventional barcode, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 18 shows an example of a tear tape in accordance with an embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 19 shows a randomly oriented composite indicium applied topackaging;

FIG. 20 shows the indicium of FIG. 16 as it is recognized by a reader;

FIG. 21 shows the indicium of FIG. 16 refined by the reader;

FIG. 22 shows an indicium information diagram;

FIG. 23 is a flow diagram showing the process of recognizing theindicium and storing information in a database;

FIG. 24 is a flow diagram showing the process of retrieving informationfrom the database; and

FIG. 25 shows alternative embodiments of indicia in schematic stagesaccording to FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning to FIG. 1, this shows generally at 10 a multi-stage printingapparatus for forming unique composite indicia or markings in the formof labels which can then be attached to articles (not shown). Theapparatus 10 comprises feed and take-up rollers 12, 14 between whichextends a paper web 16 on which are to be formed labels, each containinga unique composite indicium. Pairs of print rollers 18, 20 and 22respectively form the stages A, B and C, and guide/tensioning rollers 24guide and tension the web as it transfers from feed roller 12 to take-uproller 14.

Each of the stages A, B, C has an ink reservoir 26 containing ink 28 andcomprises a pressure roller 18 a; or 20 a, or 22 a and a gravurecylinder 18 b, or 20 b, or 22 b. As the web 16 passes between thepressure roller 18 a and print cylinder 18 b, for example, it becomesprinted according to the pattern on the cylinder 18 b. The same is trueof the other stages.

FIG. 2 shows in more detail stage A, with the web 16 passing betweenpressure cylinder 18 a and gravure cylinder 18 b. The cylindrical printsurface of cylinder 18 b has a pattern which is shown in FIG. 2 as anumber of short oblique lines. The web 16 is thus printed with a patternof lines, having a repeat that is a function of the circumference of thecylinder 18 b. The insert X shows in closer detail a portion of theprint pattern on the cylinder 18 b.

Generally, to allow printing of a continuous pattern, the print surfaceof cylinder 18 b includes a pattern that is continuous and unbrokenabout the circumference of the cylinder 18 b. FIG. 3 illustrates atwo-dimensional pattern 15 that may be used to provide a correspondingpattern across the print surface of cylinder 18 b. To achieve acontinuous and unbroken pattern on the cylinder surface using thepattern 15, the individual elements of the pattern 15 are arrangedacross an area having dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of theprint surface and in such a way as to not extend through the transverseedges 17 a, 17 b of the pattern 15. The elements may extend through thelongitudinal edges 19 of the pattern 15 without causing a break in thepattern on the print surface. The pattern 15 is extended across thesurface of the cylinder 18 b and the two transverse edges 17 a, 17 bbrought in contact with one another to provide a cylindrical printsurface free of partially-formed pattern elements in the area where theedges 17 a, 17 b meet, although the pattern may include partially-formedpattern elements at the ends 21 of the cylinder 18 b.

FIG. 4 shows in more detail stage B. The web 16 passes between pressureroller 20 a and gravure cylinder 20 b, the latter imparting a secondprint pattern onto the web. The print pattern on the cylinder 20 bcomprises a series of discrete simple indicia shown in FIG. 4 in theform of a square box containing a number of oblique lines. The simpleindicia are all identical in FIG. 4, but they could, alternatively, bedifferent. The print pattern produced could be similar to that producedby cylinder 18 b in step A. One or more pattern elements of the simpleindicia are differentiated from the remaining elements, shown here astwo adjacent sides of the box that are emboldened, to provide areference for orienting the indicium. Alternatively, a reference linemay be printed inside the indicium, offset to one side. Also, the restof the surface of the cylinder 20 b may contain a blanking backgroundwhich covers the spaces between the box-like indicia on the web so as toconceal the surplus lines from the first printing stage. The blankingbackground could be arranged to cover part of the indicium, to provide areference bar by rendering part of the indicium invisible. Any blankingbackground may be provided in addition to or instead of this by printingstep C, see below. Insert X′ shows one of the simple boxlike indicia inmore detail. Insert Y shows the composite indicium on the web afterstages A and B.

The composite indicium could be any shape, for example any polygon or acircle. The composite indicium of FIG. 4 is a square containing aplurality of oblique lines. No two of the composite indicia areprecisely the same because of the variance in the pattern of lines fromstage A, and because the pattern of boxes from stage B, while alsoperiodic, is out of phase with the pattern of stage A. It is desired tomaintain the pattern of stage A out of phase with the pattern of stage Bfor an extended number of revolutions of the cylinders to increase thenumber of unique composite indicia that are printed.

Repetition of the composite indicium, which may occur as a result of thecylinders revolving in phase, can be avoided using various techniques.As an example, if a plurality of cylinders are used, at least one of thecylinders may be driven at a different speed relative to the speeds ofrevolution of the remaining one or more cylinders. As another example,the diameter of the cylinders can be made different. The cylinderdiameters or circumferences may be chosen such that the relationshipbetween them ensures that they will not come back into phase, and hencebegin to duplicate the indicia, before they have worn out. Moreparticularly, if one of the cylinders has a diameter or circumferencewhich is a prime number in the units of measurement of the diameters ofthe other cylinder(s), a number of unique composite indicia sufficientfor most applications will be provided before the patterns on thecylinders come into phase again. In varying the circumferences, slightdifferences in circumference (e.g. 600.7534 mm as cylinder A and 601.757mm as cylinder B) can maintain the cylinders out of phase for a greatnumber of revolutions. The lifetime of most roto-gravure print cylinders(before the printing surface becomes unusable) is approximately 1million revolutions, and a careful choice of diameters will ensure thatthe cylinders do not come back into phase within the lifetime of thecylinders.

An advantage of using print cylinders is that their transverse positionin relation to the web 16 can be adjusted every time the roll of web ischanged, to give a greater number of combinations of indicia.

When the second indicium is a fixed pattern of lines, together with aborder (e.g. as shown in FIG. 4) this may be applied either by acylinder (such as 20 b) in which case the pattern may be repeated aroundthe print surface of the cylinder, or else may be applied by otherprinting means, including digital printing means such as an inkjetprinter. In either case, care should be taken to ensure that theprinting of the second part of the indicium does not take place inprecisely the same position relative to the cycle of the print cylinderprinting the first part of the indicium for successive articles. Inother words, the period of printing successive second, fixed indiciashould not be the same as the period of variance of the indicium (fromthe first print cylinder), nor should the latter be an exact multiple ofthe former. This is to ensure that no composite indicium is repeated.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary composite indicium 100 that may be printed bystage A (e.g. cylinder 18 b ) and stage B (e.g. cylinder 20 b) as shownin FIGS. 2 and 4. Composite indicium 100 comprises a plurality ofoblique lines such as oblique lines 103 and 105. In this example, areference bar, or boundary condition 101 has been included in theblanking background (shaded gray in this example). An orientation ofindicium in any subsequent reading of the indicium is provided byidentifying the reference bar 101 and borders 109 and 111 (a moredetailed discussion on the reading and orientation of an indicium isprovided later). Minutiae of composite indicium may be associated withintersections of different oblique lines such as oblique lines 103 and105 (corresponding to intersection 113). In the embodiment, a locationof an intersection (e.g. the coordinates of the intersection in relationto a reference frame that may be provided by borders 109 and 111) may berelated to a unique code (e.g. an alphanumeric character string) that isassociated with composite indicium 100. In the embodiment, compositeindicium 100 may be scanned along reference line 101, which comprises astrip of composite indicium 100. Because of the nature of the minutiaeof composite indicium 100, only a portion of composite indicium need beprocessed in order to determine the corresponding information (e.g. acode that may be derived from composite indicium 100 as will bediscussed). When processing reference line 101, each oblique line islocated in order to derive a corresponding standardized, i.e. averaged,normalized, reduced or substantially one-dimensional line (e.g. line 107being associated with oblique line 103) that is further processed. Inthe embodiment, in order to derive a standardized line of an obliqueline, an image of the oblique line is statistically processed toidentify a center of the oblique line.

FIG. 6 shows an additional third printing stage C in which the web 16passes between pressure roller 22 a and print cylinder 22 b. In thisstage, as is shown in more detail in the insert X″, the print cylinder22 b imparts a commercial graphic onto the web, shown as an eagle in thefigure. The eagle device has a blank square or window therein which,when the web is printed at stage C, registers with the compositeindicium from the previous print stages, to produce the image shown inbox Z. The indicium may be incorporated into the graphic, for example insome lettering. Printing this graphic may provide the image with aborder if no other border is printed. This print stage may also providethe indicium with a reference bar, or boundary condition, whichfacilitates the orientation and recognition of the indicium, when it issubsequently read. This reference bar may be a line printed on theindicium, or may be part of the blanking background, which is printedover a portion of the indicium. When the indicium is subsequently readthis reference bar also provides a camera in a reading device withsomething on which to focus.

Another embodiment will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 12through 15. With a variation of the embodiment, rather than anunchanging second part of the indicium (i.e. stage B in FIGS. 1 and 4),the second part may also be variable, i.e. can be generated such thatsuccessively printed ones are different. This may be achieved in asimilar manner to the printing of the first part of the indicium (stageA). In this case the second part of the indicium may be formed using aprint cylinder, having a pattern of elements, such as dots, ellipses,polygons or lines on it. A separate step of printing the border or anyreference line (as mentioned above) may be necessary when using thisapproach.

FIG. 12 shows generally at 46 another multistage printing apparatus.This is similar to the apparatus of FIG. 1, and like reference numeralsare used for like features. However, in this embodiment the second stage(B) print cylinder 20 b has another pattern of short oblique lines,somewhat similar to that of the first stage (A) cylinder 18 b (see FIGS.13 and 14). The web 16 is thus printed with two patterns each of whichvaries with respect to each other, as well as with respect to theresulting composite indicium, as the cylinders revolve and thecombination of the two patterns is a complex superimposition of lines inthis case. As described above in connection with the embodiment of FIG.1, the two cylinders 20 b and 18 b are of different diameters selectedto ensure that a very large number of revolutions must take place beforethe cylinders may be in phase again, and thus before there is any riskof the same composite indicium being formed. At stage C the commercialgraphic is again printed, and this forms a border for the compositeindicium. As an interim step, prior to printing at stage C, a blankingprint may be applied to the web leaving only the required portions ofcomposite indicia and blanking other parts of the pattern. This blankingprint step may also provide a reference bar, or boundary condition onthe indicium, as mentioned above.

In FIG. 15 the insert X′″ shows the commercial graphic being printed onthe web by cylinder 22 b, and insert Z′ shows the combined effect of thethree print stages A, B and C. This embodiment, in which the compositeindicium is formed from two indicia, each of which varies for thecomposite indicia, provides an even greater number of unique compositeindicia. The cylinder printing the second part of the indicium could bethe same cylinder as that which printed the first part of the indiciumin which case the article to be printed would have to be brought intocontact with the print cylinder 18 b twice. Alternatively, a secondprinting apparatus, which may comprise a second print cylinder 20 b,also can be used, as shown in FIG. 12.

When the composite indicium has been printed, it may then be recorded,or logged, at any time before it is needed. This can be done byoptically scanning the indicium to capture digitally the image and usinga computer to calculate a mathematical property of the indicium that maybe a function of the spatial relationship between at least some of theelements of the indicium and/or between the elements and a border, orusing the characteristics of the so-called minutiae such as in knownfingerprint recognition techniques. An algorithm is then applied to thisdata, which converts the indicium into a code (e.g. a number). This codecan be stored in a database together with information relating to thearticle. In the embodiment, information may be send to and retrievedfrom the database using the Internet, an Intranet, a radio frequencyidentification (RFID)-capable interface, or a wireless service such as ashort message service (SMS).

Referring to FIG. 5, minutiae of composite indicium 100 are utilized todetermine a unique alphanumeric code that is associated with thecomposite indicium. Two reference lines (e.g. oblique lines 103 and 105)may cross at an intersection (e.g. intersection 113). The coordinates ofeach intersection provide a component of the unique code. As anexemplary illustration of the embodiment, a unique code may bedetermined by concatenating the (x,y) coordinates of the intersections.For example, with two intersections having coordinates (x₁,y₁) and(x₂,y₂), a code may be determined by a concatenation x₁x₂y₁y₂. The rangeof the code may be extended with more possible intersections. As anexample, with (x₁,y₁) corresponding to (0.013 units, 0.071 units) and(x₂,y₂) corresponding to (0.051 units, 0.083 units), the correspondingcode may be obtained as a concatenation 13517183, where each coordinateis multiplied by 1000 in order to obtain whole numbers.

FIG. 16 shows an exemplary database entry 200 relating a code (e.g.number) 201 derived from a composite indicium (e.g. indicium 100) andinformation about an associated article, in accordance with anembodiment of the invention. For example, in the case of fast movingconsumer goods (FMCG), a human readable (HR) number 203, a time stamp205, a date 211, a location of manufacture 209, brand type 207, thebatch number and the best-before-date (if any) may be recorded. The datamay also be encrypted, thinned or compressed by suitable means beforestorage.

The data is stored in a database in a central storage computer,accessible by, for example, the Internet. When the indicium on thearticle is subsequently read, a computer converts the optical data to acode, using the same algorithm. The computer then looks up the code inthe database and recalls the information stored under the code. Thus,counterfeit goods having a false indicium would be discovered, since nocomputer record (or an obviously incorrect record) would be found. Manygoods having copies of the same indicium would also be found not to begenuine. A system could be arranged to set off a warning if the sameindicium is read in two different places, or if the same indicium isread in the same place at different times; both of these situationswould indicate the presence of a counterfeiter.

If sufficient detail is taken from the composite indicium initially, theprocess of recalling the information should remain accurate even incases where the indicium has been degraded, or up to about 70% orpossibly more of it is missing by utilizing redundant characteristics ofthe indicium. The redundancy of the characteristics may be about 85%.

With a variation of the embodiment, a selected code (e.g. analphanumeric number) may be processed so that minutiae of a generatedcomposite indicium correspond to the selected code. (As previouslydiscussed, a code is determined from the composite indicium. In thevariation of the embodiment, a composite indicium is determined from theselected code.) As an example, the selected code may be expressed as anumber x₁,x₂, . . . ,x_(n),y₁,y₂, . . . ,y_(n). From the number, one maydetermine (x,y) coordinates of element intersections (e.g. where linesintersect) in order to construct a composite indicium having acorresponding minutiae. Furthermore, a corresponding image of thecomposite indicium may be processed by a processing technique such ascompression and encryption techniques. For example, an amount oftransmitted data may be reduced by compressing the image usingcompression software that supports JPEG (Joint Photographic ExpertsGroup) standards. The constructed composite indicium may be subsequentlyanalyzed (as discussed in the context of FIG. 5) to obtain the selectedcode. The variation of the embodiment, as discussed herein, may beutilized to convey information between two communicating parties bydetermining a selected code, constructing a corresponding compositeindicium, communicating a signal that conveys the composite indicium,and analyzing the composite indicium in order to obtain the selectedcode.

FIG. 19 shows a portion of an article 260 having a composite indicium262 applied thereto. The article has been over printed with a suitablelogo or commercial graphic 264, shown by the hatched lines. This graphichas been printed so that the indicium is divided into a smaller portion266 and a larger portion 268 by a part of the graphic 270, whichprovides a reference characteristic. The composite indicium may be inany orientation on the article. As described above, when the compositeindicium has been applied to an article, information relating to thatarticle is stored in a database, corresponding to the indicium appliedto that article. First, the composite indicium is read by a cameraconnected to a computer. The camera may be arranged to view apredetermined portion of the article, such as the portion shown in FIG.19. The camera scans the predetermined portion for the compositeindicium. The camera may be arranged to focus on the reference bar. Ifthe camera is not properly focused on the composite indicium, largeerrors may be introduced into the calculations and recognition. Softwarestored in the computer finds the edges of the indicium and the referencebar, on the image read by the camera. This allows the computer to orientthe composite indicium, and ignore the commercial graphic printed on thearticle, as shown in FIG. 20. Providing the indicium with a rectangularshape also facilitates the orientation of the indicium. In this example,the computer also orients the indicium so that the smaller portion 266of the indicium is on the left, as shown in FIG. 19. The software mayalso magnify the indicium. Once the indicium 262 has been oriented thesoftware discards the reference bar 270 and the smaller portion 266 ofthe indicium, so that only the larger portion 268 of the indiciumremains. The indicium shown in FIGS. 19 to 21 is made up of lines 272.The software may substantially reduce the width of the lines remainingin the larger part of the indicium, so that they are virtuallyone-dimensional. This may be done by normalization, averaging or anyother suitable method. Reducing the width of the lines in this wayreduces any possible error which may be associated with the thickness ofthe lines. The remaining indicium is shown in FIG. 21. Variousmathematical properties of this indicium are then calculated, as shownin FIG. 22. Two lines from the indicium in FIG. 21 have been used inthis example. The angles between the lines, and between the lines andthe edges are calculated. A suitable algorithm is then applied to thisdata, to convert the data into an alphanumeric code. This code is thenstored in a database, together with any other suitable information aboutthe article to which the indicium is applied. This process of readingthe indicium and storing information relating thereto in a database isshown in the flow diagram of FIG. 23.

Upon subsequent reading of the indicium, the reading camera and softwarefind and process the code as above. The alphanumeric code is thendetermined from the indicium in the way discussed above. The database isthen consulted (for example via any of the media mentioned above) toretrieve any information relating to that alphanumeric code. Theinformation is then transmitted back to the reader. This process isshown in FIG. 24.

In other embodiments indicia, in accordance with the invention, could beincorporated into bar codes that are widely used to identify goods, forexample, at the point of sale. An indicium may be printed inside one ofthe “bars”, or else behind or over the bar code, if the indicium isprinted in ultra violet or infrared ink, to enable goods to bear both abar code and a composite indicium, thus remaining compatible with widelyused equipment. FIG. 17 shows some examples of this. Though noinformation or data relating to the article or item need to be includedor incorporated within the composite indicium (unique markings), themarking may be created to, nonetheless, incorporate information whilestill retaining a unique and abstract character. For example,combinations with a bar code as set forth in FIG. 17 or utilizing acolor or other readable indicia may be employed. A color or number maythus be associated with a class of goods as an SKU code for example.

The data for indicia relating to items such as short-lived goods couldbe deleted after a suitable time period, thus reducing the amount ofdata to be stored.

Since the number of possible variations of the composite indicium isvery large, perhaps 10^(n) or more, where n may be greater than 30, itis possible to provide a unique indicium, and therefore a uniqueidentification code, for a very large number of articles. The number ofpossible unique identification codes depends on the number of elementssuch as lines, dots, ellipses or polygons and also on the diameter(s) ofthe print cylinder(s), if that printing technique is used. Use ofzig-zagged lines, would also increase the number of possible uniqueidentification codes. Furthermore, because of the simplicity with whichthe unique composite indicia may be printed onto articles, the indiciamay be applied automatically at high speed with an existing printprocess. The indicia may be subsequently read in a fraction of a secondby optical scanning means.

Invisible or covert coding is possible by printing the composite indiciain ultra-violet, magnetic, sonar, radioactive, or infrared viewable ink,for example. This is particularly useful where the appearance of thearticle would be impaired by printing a visible indicium on it.

The indicia may be holographic, metalised, or embossed and may be usedas tax stamps and/or fiscal markers. Indicia could be printed ontoindividual pharmaceutical products, such as pills or tablets. Theindicia may be applied by laser engraving. The indicia could be printedin more than one color. The indicia may be stitched, for example, ontolabels of clothes.

With the relative ease of in-market recognition and reading, the indiciamay be used in a wide variety of operations including quality assurance,customer redemption (as proof of purchase), stock control, tracking andtracing products, brand protection and real-time product monitoring, andthe indicia may be used in conjunction with other tags or codingsystems, for example, to allow data on several articles to beconveniently stored together in a storage device such as a radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag, which may be located on theexterior of a multi-pack and which may contain the unique code of theindicia of the individual articles within the pack.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are intended to illustrate the invention and notto limit or otherwise restrict the invention.

Example 1

FIG. 7 shows examples of composite indicia that may be formed inaccordance with the invention. In each case, the indicium evolves fromstage A through stage C of FIG. 1. The indicium need not consist solelyof lines, but may comprise other elements and shapes, such as dots,rectangles or ellipses, or indeed any combination of these elements.

Example 2

FIGS. 8 to 11 show various articles which bear composite indicia inaccordance with the invention. In FIG. 8 the indicium appears directlyon the packaging 30, on tear tapes 32 and on a label 34.

FIG. 9 shows a relatively large composite indicium 37 on the outside ofa cardboard box 36.

FIG. 10 shows a postage stamp 38 (which may be alternatively a taxstamp), a bank note 40 and an envelope 42, each bearing a compositeindicium 39, 41, 43 in accordance with the present invention, whilstFIG. 11 shows an envelope, commonly referred to as a “document mailer”,44, such as is used by a postal courier service for sending urgentdocuments, and which also bears a composite indicium 45 as describedabove.

Example 3

A composite indicium was printed on one side of a tear tape, as commonlyused for initiating opening of packaging wrap and the like. The teartape had a width of approximately 2.9 mm. The indicium was printed usinga gravure printing process to provide the separate patterns in blacklines. Each of the printed composite indicium measured about 1.9 mm byabout 1.9 mm. It should be noted that the size of composite indicia(markings) may be widely variable from substantially microscopic tolarge, i.e. multiple inches.

Example 4

FIG. 18 shows an example of a tear tape 251 in accordance with anembodiment of the invention. A portion of tear tape 251 comprises aunique composite indicium 253 (that may correspond to indicium 100 asshown in FIG. 5). The portion of tear tape 251 may be affixed to anarticle (e.g. a bottle of an alcoholic beverage) or a package (e.g. apackage of cigarettes) that holds the article in order to identify thearticle. Each article is assigned a composite indicium so that eacharticle may be associated with information about the article that may bestored in a database. FIG. 16 illustrates an example of database entry200, in which a bottle of an alcoholic beverage is identified by aunique code 201 (as determined from composite indicium 253), humanreadable (HR) number 203, time stamp 205, brand/type 207, factoryidentification 209, and date 211. In the example, when the bottle of thealcoholic beverage is delivered to its destination, the compositeindicium may be scanned and database 200 may be accessed through theInternet. Consequently, information about inventory or distribution ofgoods, for example, can be updated. Moreover, the article may beverified as being genuine and not counterfeit.

Example 5

FIG. 25 shows examples of composite indicia that may be formed inaccordance with the invention. In each case, the composite indiciumevolves from stage A through stage C of FIG. 12. The indicium need notconsist solely of lines, but may comprise other elements and shapes,such as dots, rectangles or ellipses, or indeed any combination of theseelements. In FIG. 25, two variable indicia are printed at A and B. Afurther printing step prints a border on the composite indicium, to giveone of the composite indicia printed at the bottom of the diagram.

In general, therefore, a first and a second indicia are made to overlayone another and thereby express a composite. The composite will bedistinct in each instance where the first and second indicia (patterns)are juxtaposed with respect to every other composite. The universe ofdistinct composites can be further enlarged by identifying separateparts or sectors of each of the juxtaposed composites. For example, aboundary condition may be applied to various distinct sectors of thecomposite. Then if the boundary condition is applied to a series ofdifferent composites, the resulting combinations will, in each instance,be unique even though the boundary condition is the same. Of course,each composite may host a multiple number of discrete boundaryconditions. As a result of the described methodology, there is createdmultiple unique indicia by means of simple, inexpensive techniques usingcombinations of pre-existing technologies.

As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a computer system withan associated computer-readable medium containing instructions forcontrolling the computer system can be utilized to implement theexemplary embodiments that are disclosed herein. The computer system mayinclude at least one computer such as a microprocessor, digital signalprocessor, and associated peripheral electronic circuitry.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are merelyillustrative principles of the invention and that many variations may bedevised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope ofthe invention. It is, therefore, intended that such variations beincluded with the scope of the claims.

1. An apparatus for printing a succession of unique composite indiciumon a substrate useful for uniquely labeling each article in a series ofarticles, the apparatus comprising: a feed mechanism for feeding a sheetsubstrate having a first location and successive locations through saidapparatus; a first printing cylinder that prints indicium having a firstpattern at said first location and at said successive locations on saidsheet substrate, said first cylinder having a first diameter forprinting on said substrate; and a second printing cylinder that prints asecond indicium at said first location and at said successive locations,said second indicium comprising a fixed second pattern, said secondprinting cylinder having a different diameter for printing on saidsubstrate at said first location than said first cylinder diameter forprinting at said first location in order that said first and secondprinting cylinders function out of phase, the combination of said firstindicium and said second indicium at said first location and each saidsuccessive location comprising a unique composite indicium.
 2. Anapparatus for printing a succession of composite indicium distinct fromeach other useful for labeling each article in a series of articles,said apparatus comprising, in combination: a feed mechanism for feedinga substrate through said apparatus; a first printing cylinder thatprints a first indicium having a pattern at a first and each successivelocation on said substrate, said first location and each successivelocation having a boundary, said first cylinder having a first diameterfor printing; and a second printing cylinder that prints a secondindicium at said first location, said second indicium comprising asecond pattern, said second printing cylinder having a differentdiameter for printing on said substrate than said first cylinderdiameter in order that said first and second printing cylinders functionout of phase. the combination of said first indicium and said secondindicium at said first location and each said successive locationcomprising a unique composite indicium.
 3. Apparatus for providing asuccession of unique composite indicium printed separately at a firstlocation and at least one successive location on a substrate, eachcomposite indicium for application to uniquely mark each article in aseries of articles, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a firstprinting cylinder for applying a first indicium at a first location andeach successive location on a substrate; and a second printer apparatusfor applying a second indicium to said first location and each saidsuccessive location overlying said first indicium at least in part toform a first and successive unique composite indicium, said firstcylinder and second printer apparatus capable of printing multipleunique separate composite indicium at said first and each saidsuccessive locations on said substrate, each of said unique compositeindicium comprised of the first indicium and the second indicium,juxtaposed relative to the first indicium at each location.
 4. Apparatusfor printing a substrate with a succession of unique, machine readablecomposite indicium, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a firstprint cylinder for applying a first indicium having a configuration at afirst location and at successive locations on a substrate; and a secondprint cylinder having a different diameter, said second cylinder forapplying a second indicium to the substrate at said first location andat said successive locations; said apparatus further capable of applyingthe first indicium and the second indicium at said first and atsuccessive locations on the substrate uniquely with respect to eachother to form in combination, a unique and distinct composite indiciumat each said location.